Employee Assistance Professionals AssociationIn 2015, the copilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 intentionally flew an Airbus 319 into a mountain, killing 142 people. In light of this, many questions have been asked by the U.S. DOT and FAA about pilots and fitness-for-duty. The 2016 World EAP Conference in Chicago will feature a session "Navigating Mental Health for Airline Pilots" to help EA professionals identify the specific FAA mental health guidelines for pilots and increase their knowledge of the special requirements for pilots when working with mental health resources. Expert presenter Charles Curreri will also examine pilot personality profiles, FAA limitations, SSRI protocols and fitness-for-flight-duty assessments. LEARN MORE. (go to page 21)

Safety+HealthFifty-two percent of employers have updated or implemented a "zero tolerance" workplace violence prevention policy in response to mass shootings at U.S. workplaces in recent years, according to the results of a survey conducted by labor law firm Littler Mendelson. Researchers surveyed 844 in-house counsel, human resources professionals, C-suite executives and others from a variety of industries for The Executive Employer Survey. READ MORE

NPRA body of evidence now shows that medications such as Suboxone are effective in putting the brakes on opioid use disorder, when used in conjunction with counseling. For Angela, the treatment means she can take care of their 3-year-old, and Nate can keep a job. But because of some companies' insurance rules, getting started on Suboxone — and staying on it — can be difficult.READ MORE

The Huffington PostOne in six workers experience depression, anxiety or unmanageable stress, a further one in six experience symptoms of mental ill health such as sleep problems and fatigue. Mental health is often still taboo in the workplace. This can mean employees keep quiet about their mental distress. As a result problems spiral and are often not identified until too late, exacerbating the business and human costs, as well as placing added strain on colleagues.READ MORE

Psych CentralLearning to focus full attention to the present moment appears to be an effective strategy to reduce the likelihood of relapse for certain people struggling to break their addiction to stimulants including cocaine and methamphetamine.READ MORE

Care2Being able to stay connected via our smartphones wherever we go certainly has its perks, but it definitely makes work-life balance a lot harder for some of us. In fact, it's even downright impossible for those who simply can't bring themselves to detach from their email notifications after work and on their days off — or if they're simply expected by their employers to stay connected 24/7.READ MORE

Chartered Management InstituteBusinesses across the U.K. are becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of coping and preventative measures in place for employees with mental health issues, according to new research.
Some 53 percent of HR staff have found themselves providing counseling to staff, a MetLife Employee Benefits study found, and 67 percent of those questioned think mental illness is a major issue at their workplace.READ MORE

The Washington PostMany experts say the prescription painkiller epidemic started when physicians began over-prescribing powerful opioid medications, a well-meaning attempt to more aggressively treat patients' pain. With addiction to those pills at crisis levels, they argue, a good part of the solution would be for doctors to rein in use of the drugs. The giant health insurer Aetna is now actively encouraging change. Using the vast amount of data it collects from insurance claims by pharmacies, it has begun contacting doctors whose prescribing habits are far outside the norm.READ MORE

Harvard Business ReviewEveryone in today's supercharged workplaces experiences stress. Yet executive and professional women consistently experience more stress, anxiety and psychological distress than do men. There are, undoubtedly, a variety of reasons for this — more domestic responsibilities, having been socialized to say "yes" to all requests, and receiving lower pay for similar work immediately come to mind. But, based on our experience coaching and mentoring thousands of women over the years, we believe women experience more workplace stress than men primarily because they must contend with stereotype threat — a phenomenon that is virtually unknown to men.READ MORE